Biographical Sketch of John H. L. Scott, Johnson County, Missouri
Jefferson Township
>From "The History of Johnson County, Missouri," 
Kansas City Historical Co. 1881

JOHN H. L. SCOTT,

P.O. Windsor.  Born in Ohio, Dec. 9, 1822, of Scotch-Irish descent.  He
has a good academic education; otherwise he is a self-made man.  His
father, Wm. Scott, was born in 1796, and was a captain in the war of
1812.  The subject of this sketch was left an orphan at the age of ten.
His parents were natives of Kentucky, but the stock originally came from
Virginia.  He married, Sept. 26, 1847, Miss Eliza J. Prouty, daughter of
Alva Prouty, a mechanic of Ohio.  She was born March 3, 1830.  Eleven
children were born: four are dead.  Those living are: Celeste E., Mary
M., Wm. H., Chas. L., Bertha E., Estella G. and Annie G.  Wm. H. and
Hillis M. were twins, the latter died at four years of age.  Miss
Celeste has been engaged in teaching since the age of sixteen.  She was
partially educated in Simpson Centenary College, Indianola, Iowa, and
subsequently graduated at Southwest Normal School, Lebanon, Ohio.  Mary
M. married Rev. Brenton H. Badley, and they are both missionaries of the
Cross in India.  His educational career has been, very briefly, as
follows: he commenced teaching at the age of sixteen, in a deserted log
cabin, in the backwoods of Hardin county, Ohio.  Taught common school
some four years, and then went to Indiana, and was principal of a county
seminary near Columbus, two years.  He next went to Iowa, taught common
school a short time, and was chosen principal of an academy, which
position he held five years.  He taught common school in Michigan two
years, and then returned to Ohio.  Was principal of a graded (union)
school, at Rootstown, Ohio, also one at Marlborough, and public schools
of New Baltimore.  He then went to Iowa, and taught some at Oskaloosa,
and then located at Indianola, and established a high school.  This was
soon organized as a seminary, of which he was chosen the principal.
This seminary finally culminated in Simpson Centenary College.  In 1862,
his health failed, and he went to California.  Taught there two years
and returned to Ohio.  Taught two years in the Ohio State Normal, but
had to resign his position on account of failing health. Taught district
schools a short time, and then took charge of the Jeffersonville graded
school, for five years, where his health again broke down.  He then
emigrated to Missouri, and located in Johnson county, 1871.  Taught
school in the same district seven years, which closed a career in
teaching, extending over forty years, (1838-78.)  Other points in his
educational career.  He was a member of the Ohio State Teachers
Association, and with the pen, and on the platform, advocated the cause
of free common schools.  The labors of this association culminated in
the new school law of Ohio, and in the establishment of her two State
Normal Schools.  As chairman of the committee on schools and school
lands, he drafted the school law, and rendered efficient service in
getting it through the house of representatives.  Was county school
examiner several years in Ohio.  Was elected township school
superintendent three times (six years) in succession, in Iowa; was for
several years a contributor to the leading educational journals; wrote
and published a series of educational tracts, which were quite popular.
He conducted several teachers' institutes in Ohio, Iowa, and other
places, and gave regular courses of lectures on arithmetic, grammar,
theory and practice, ect. ect. at such institutes.  Prepared and
delivered a number of popular lectures, among which were, Free Common
Schools; Teaching as a Profession; Moral Training of youth; etc.  His
political career is somewhat brief, as that of most professional
teachers.  He represented (as a Democrat) Clark county, in the General
Assembly of Ohio, two terms.  Was nominated by the democratic
congressional convention, of the then (1854,) nineteenth congressional
district of Ohio, to represent said district but declined the honor.
Such in brief is the history of this worthy man.

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